New
National Survey: Nearly 90 Percent of Latino Voters Support Clean Energy

Washington, D.C. – The Sierra
Club and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) announced a new national survey
today, finding that nearly 90 percent of Latino voters favor clean energy over
fossil fuels. The national poll surveyed 1,131 Latino registered voters across
the country on a number of public health, environmental and energy issues, and
found overwhelming support for clean energy innovation, protecting public lands
and parks and cleaning up toxic pollution.

“The Sierra Club is
encouraged and energized to hear that Latino voters not only see the importance
of environmental and public health protections, but that they are also willing
to take action to help build a healthier economy, nation and future with clean
energy,” said Javier Sierra, Sierra Club Bilingual Media Strategist.
“It’s time for our nation’s leaders to catch up and usher in a clean
energy economy that provides good jobs and healthy families.”

“The findings from this
survey amplify what NCLR has been hearing at the community level from Latinos
throughout the country: quality jobs, quality air and water, and quality of
life are goals that can and should be achieved simultaneously,” said Eric
Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation
at NCLR. “And working with the Sierra Club and other partners we look
forward to putting these priorities into action in order to not only achieve
employment opportunities for Latinos in the clean jobs sector, but to also
create a healthier environment for all Americans.”

The results of the 2012
Latinos and the Environment survey show that Latino voters across the country
strongly support clean energy, are very concerned about the public health
effects of fossil fuel production and use, believe that global climate change
is happening, and want to protect the nation’s public lands.

Some key findings:

Pollution
of our air and water resources is still the top environmental concern for
Latino voters nationwide, with 61% saying it is among the top two environmental
issues for them and their families. Since 2008, concern about air and water
pollution and toxic waste sites has grown by 10 percentage points.

The
Latino population clearly favors clean energy over dirty fossil fuels, and 83%
agree that “coal plants and oil refineries are a thing of the past. We need to
look toward the future and use more energy from clean sources.”

Nearly 9-in-10
(87%) Latino voters, with all wages and benefits equal, would prefer to
work in the clean energy industry rather than at a fossil fuel company or
oil refinery.

Of those
polled, 86% prefer that the government invest in clean, renewable energy
like solar and wind, while just 11% of Latinos prefer investments in
fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.

More than
three-fourths (77%) of Latino voters believe that global climate change is
already happening, while another 15% say it will happen in the future. By
comparison, about half (52%) of all Americans say that the effects of
global warming have already begun, according to a Gallup poll conducted in
March.

More than
9-in-10 (92%) Latino voters agree that they “have a moral responsibility
to take care of God’s creations on this earth - the wilderness and
forests, the oceans, lakes and rivers.”

More than
9-in-10 Latino voters (94%) say outdoor activities such as fishing,
picnics, camping, and visiting national parks and monuments are important
to them and their families. Nearly 7-in-10 (69%) Latino voters say they
would support the president designating more public land as national
monuments.

More than
7-in-10 (72%) Latino voters agree that “environmental regulations protect
our health and our families by lowering toxic levels of mercury, arsenic,
carbon dioxide and other life-threatening pollution in our air and water.”

An
overwhelming majority (94%) of Latino voters believe that they and their
families can help curb toxic air and water pollution by conserving energy.

The 2012 Latinos and the
Environment poll was conducted by Myers Research and Strategic Services and
focus group data was provided by Project New America. To read the executive
summary or find the full poll results, visit www.sierraclub.org/ecocentro/survey.

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NCLR
(National Council of La Raza) is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and
advocacy organization in the United States and works to improve opportunities
for Hispanic Americans through its network of nearly 300 affiliated
community-based organizations.

Sierra
Club is the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental
organization. Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club and its 1.4 million members and
supporters work to fulfill the organization’s mission of enjoying, exploring
and protecting the planet.